New facilities at Cranfield Airport

Cranfield Airport has over the past few
months been busy with enhancing its business aviation facilities. From July
there will be a new hangar facility available along with a new lounge for
business travellers. The airport has also improved the taxiways, apron space
and has installed more modern security.

The
airport currently handles some 3,000 business aircraft take-offs and landings a
year.

Airport director Jason Ivey says “This facelift is very important because
it ensures that Cranfield
Airport is well
positioned to maintain and
improve its business and executive jet operations. We are located right
next to the M1 and right on Milton Keynes’
doorstep which makes
us an ideal business airport.”

Airport
capacity in the South East is becoming a major issue for the aviation industry
and airport owners. Cranfield University believes Cranfield
Airport’s location and facilities will
make a contribution to local and international businesses with easy access to Milton Keynes, London and the Midlands
areas. With the new facilities, the airport is already attracting interest from
operators who might base their aircraft.

“The
airport can accommodate the largest business and executive jets, which
means that you can fly from Cranfield direct to the eastern part of the
USA or to the Middle East,” says Ivey “The reception area is being
refurbished to the highest executive standards, with everything that the
business traveller expects.”

Cranfield
is a designated Olympics airport for the London 2012 Games and
expects to welcome at least 40 extra business jet flights during the Olympic
period. Currently, the airport has 39 confirmed aircraft booked, all are
Gulfstream G5, Global Express or similar size but Cranfield expects a number of
late bookings over the coming weeks, as more Olympic visitors finalise their
travel plans.

Ivey
said “The work is not Olympics-specific, but we have used the games as a target.
It is going to be a wonderful opportunity to put Cranfield Airport
on the world map.”

The
airport is also very close to Silverstone motor racing circuit, around 12
minutes flying time by helicopter, particularly useful around the time of the
British Formula One Grand Prix.